Drugs and weapons have been seized as police carry out raids in a North East town.

Police in Hartlepool Police have introduced a regular, monthly day of action to tackle crime in the town.

The first of the raids, part of Operation Sycamore, is taking place today (Wednesday, September 6), with a focus on drugs and antisocial behaviour.

The first raids of the morning took place in in Keswick Street, where police carried out searches of two neighbouring addresses believed to be connected to the supply of drugs in the town.

A vacant property further down the street, said to be linked to this address, is to be boarded up.

Police have recovered drugs and firearms during their searches and say they expect arrests to follow.

The Northern Echo: Some of the weapons recovered in the raidsSome of the weapons recovered in the raids (Image: GRAEME HETHERINGTON)

Inspector Adrian Dack of Hartlepool Police said: Today's operation is around Operation Sycamore. It's a targetted joined up approcah thet we're taking to address some of the concerns of the community around anti-social behaviour, serious violence and organised crime.

"We're working together with our partners and other departments across Cleveland Police to make sure that we have a co-ordinated, targetted approach to what we're doing.

"The two addresses that we've done today have been executed under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs act.

"So far the searches have recovered controlled substances of various amounts, so there will be people arrested once we have completed those searches."

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He added: "While we've been out in the street, we've been speaking to the community and knocking on doors to make sure they know we are here to listen to their concerns."

The operation is continuing.

More details to follow.